RPlog:Dareus Meets A Doppelganger
---- 'Captain's Quarters -I2SD Predator-' The most prominent thing in the Captain's quarters is the large, obsidian DESK decorated on the front with an old-style, gray Imperial starburst. The large transparisteel window behind the desk shows a magnificent view of space augmented by a slight bluish tint from the ship's ion engines. Two chairs sit across from the desk, and a folding, translucent SCREEN partitions off a large section of the rooms' far end. Striking a contrast to the utilitarian quality of the rest of the room, a fish TANK decorates the length of the forward wall, part of it disappearing behind that screen. => Dareus => Weapons Locker The guards, having left the Captains quarters some time ago after preparing it to his exact specifications, is calm and quiet, as always. The lights are partially dimmed and absolutely everything is in perfect order, even stacks of datacards are placed in a flawless stack- mechanical precision. The sounds of footsteps easily echo through the mostly droid-maintained ship, as Dareus approaches his quarters with his XO; the door opens but they continue a small conversation for a minute or so before he dismisses the man with orders to not be disturbed aside from one circumstance. Stepping inside, the Sith quietly removes his cloak and places it on a special coat rack which is a mold of his upper torso; a simple sign of respect for his new position and location. Rubbing his temples softly he moves to the desk, sliding the minibar open and pouring himself a glass of whiskey; the Dareus slips into the chair with an audible sigh- he would have time to meditate later. Fingers dance across a datapad while he seems to be catching up on the monotonous reports that have piled up in his absence. The New Republic had intelligence that Malign's fleet was orbiting Tatooine. They had even gone so far as to plan a rather massive, cunning operation to strike at them on even footing. However, Admiral Ackbar had called the campaign off, in favor of operations deemed more important. Nevertheless, Luke Skywalker had his reasons for coming to Tatooine. His plans had been altered. The /Refrain of Anshalar/ blips out of hyperspace, far outside the sandy planet that Luke calls home. The twin stars glare against the forward viewport, overwhelmingly such that the small speck that is Tatooine cannot be seen with the naked eye. With the ship safely parked far outside sensor range, Luke disembarks from the bridge and ascends to the meditation chambers atop the vessel, where he sinks into a deep trance. The almost-living ship itself reverberates with potency, while casting a defensive shroud about its existence, causing the Force to flow about it as if it weren't even there. His mind begins to stretch out, spanning the distance between the Jedi cruiser and the Sith Flagship, as if riding the coattails of the Force as it soars throughout the galaxy. The dim light of the room offers not much, although the face of the Captain is rather illuminated by the glow coming off of his reports. Tapping a finger on his desk, he picks the glass up and takes a long sip that is quickly cut short as he looks around the quarters. Dareus sets the glass down along with the datapad with a somewhat confused look on his face- something was familiar, but he still couldn't place it with any degree of certainty. He keys his console and checks the uneventful sensor readings, nothing came into the system since his return from Corellia. Malign had sent his apprentice on several simple errands although things were still unclear in the broad scheme of the galaxy; but Dareus trusts his own instincts. Standing up and moving over to a circular plate in his room where he takes a seat along with several deep breaths to clear his head. The untrained apprentice decides that he will try to let the force guide him, for once. It is the Force that stirs. Luke's consciousness pierces the room when the Force is drawn by Dareus, and he locks in on the man's presence like a thermal torpedo. Drawing in a deep breath, the Jedi Master subverts himself fully into the Force. Gradually, the Captain's Quarters become real to him in his minds eye, the deck in his mind as real as the deck beneath his actual feet. The air as recycled and stale as the air he breathes. Then, with an effort of focus, something extraordinary occurs in Dareus' quarters. There's a shimmering of unnatural light; faded, almost ghastly light, somehow dark on the inside as if drawn into non-existence by the Force itself. Then, a form begins to knit itself out of the vacuum. The form of Luke Skywalker. His skin shimmers with translucent energy for a few moments, as the thin tendrils of otherworldly essence seem to crawl across his skin, absorbed here and there, until the being takes its first breath of the /Predator's/ air with his own lungs. The illusion, real in almost every respect except actuality, is created and fueled by the Force alone, its consciousness controlled and manipulated by the Jedi Master who sits alone, submerged in the Force, over four-hundred-thousand kilometers away. "Hello, Captain." Relatively everything was still new; as if he were a child that fell into a new world; but his senses are quickly snapped back with the feeling of familiarity- and a quick glimpse through his mind of just before he went into stasis. While many would go jumping up and attack any intruder on the ship, Dareus was a military man in the past but now he was in a proud and powerful lineage that stretched back millennia. Well aware of that fact, his eyes open to stare at the form that he knew was coming; though his own emotion weren't nearly as controlled as the enemy who stands before him. "I'd ask more pending questions on how you got on board my ship, however, that is far less important than what you are doing here." The Sith remains quietly knelt in his space for a few short moments, standing only when he was certain that he had some measure of feeling the force. His eyes sum him up in a short moment, had he come here to kill Dareus, the Captain would be dead on the floor already. "Or perhaps you more of a part of the taboo alliance against Eson's little empire, and need my help as well." Clasping his hands behind his back, he takes several steps forward, pulling his courage and power from his side of the coin. This time he would not back down. "I could handle Eson with a flick of my wrist," replies Luke, or rather, the seemingly very real image of Luke. His face remains a placid calm, even if there are subtle suggestions of mild humor in his voice at the thought of ridding the galaxy of Eson. "But you and I both know that the New Republic has certain laws about criminal activity in their territory." He remains standing right where he is, arms folded gently across his armored torso. One eyebrow perks just slightly. "Are you enjoying your new power?" Standing eye to eye with Skywalker, Dareus doesn't flinch, and there's no change in his tone, or emotions. "Most of my crew could kill Eson with my simple order, its a matter of politics of course, which are no longer my strongpoint or concern." There was no certainty if it was some kind of trick question, but in either case, the Sith wouldn't fall for it with any conscious thought, not after last time. He had no trust of this Jedi and more importantly, no like for him in the least, "Perhaps then you're seeing the light and decided to join the side that unlocks power and truths; instead of hide behind it." A quick wave of his hand ends that line of thought as quickly as it arrived. "However, this power isn't about enjoyment. You should be aware of that. And if you've come to rub yours in my face, it is definitely not the time." A short moment and Dareus regrets that sentence, he showed a weakness towards the Jedi, another lesson learned. The breath coming from Skywalker is very real; he even has a scent about him. Every nuance of his actual existence is captured in this illusion. His other eyebrow rises to meet its cousin, allowing Dareus a look of slight surprise at the display of Dareus' frustration. He's silent for a moment; before the eyebrows fall back down to reform his placid expression. "No... that's not why I'm here." He turns away, putting himself perpendicular to Dareus, and begins visually inspecting the Quarters. "I am here on reconnaissance," he admits. Every sight, sound, and smell he can capture is absorbed in the precious amount of time his admission will disallow. "Please, allow yourself more mockery... it gives me time." His arms cross over his chest, and for a brief moment he considers calling for his guards; although the Captain is certain even they would fall just as fast as they came through the door. Dareus is certain of one thing, the Jedi has his interest now, something that was above the simple attention from a few minutes ago. "Just exactly what do you think you'll learn from my quarters? My shoe size?" Turning as well, but to lean on the ornate desk, he finds himself growing impatient with this insult towards his security on the ship. "However if you're here with your impressive reconnaissance, then I'm certain that my feelings were correct. And I don't know just how far Vichten's lie has reached..." His cold blue eyes stare directly towards Skywalker and his words loaded with cockiness and pride "I'm certainly not dead yet." Luke doesn't answer the Captain's question at first, instead letting silence linger until his proud words are declared. He turns back to face Dareus, and grins in an almost boyish way. "Then there /is/ hope for you." He lets that linger for a moment, raising his hand in a quieting manner a moment before Dareus responds, whether that response would be as simple as a scoff, or as complicated as a biting retort. "To answer your question, I don't intend on staying in your quarters." As if to prove his point, he turns and begins walking toward the security door that provides passage. For a moment, Dareus is completely confused though he does step up alongside Luke before cutting in just ahead of the door, "I don't need hope, I bring it to those who need it. Through freedom and passion of existence. You realize I can't let you wander my ship." The thought of him already being in over his head is quite real, and he finds himself reaching out to find Malign, his own thoughts and feelings moving through the ship; skipping his crew but ultimately turning up empty; which sends a shiver through him- he was alone. "Do you think that for some reason you'll find the key to the Sith by walking around the ship?" A smile crosses his lips before he shakes his head solemnly. "No, that would be stupid. You see, after Caiton wound up on Mantell; everything of great importance was removed from here..." The pride comes back as he hopes to cut the Jedi off his quest early, "You'll have to go far from here before you find anything of use. In some respects, it's quite good to never trust anyone to set foot on the ship." The Captain's remarks about hope, albeit his point of view, brings a momentary narrowing to Skywalker's eyes. His own moment of weakness displayed, as it were. He simply smiles knowingly when asked if he's looking for the key to the Sith, and adds nothing to that, as if to suggest that Dareus completed what his response may have been. "Far," he muses quietly, then tilts his head forward slightly, trusting what his instincts and feelings have been showing him over recent days. "Cochran, perhaps?" Preparing for the worst, Luke takes a step backward, and closes his eyes. While his face remains emotionless, inside Dareus snaps and begins to fill with a mix of pure rage and a fleeting feeling of pain that backs it up. Only one person so far knew about Cochran who left the ship; and she was on Mantell- Malign, it had seemed was right about Lynae. His eyes move along the room to a picture of him and his wife; when the lids close it seems as if time stops for him, although it only lasts a second. When his eyes open he has the taste of blood, finding he'd bitten his lip in that passing time about Serenella, someone who may be a new enemy- from inside. Though barely anytime at all has passed with his thoughts, Dareus feels himself grow colder as he watches the blonde man, "You better start with every planet that once had life instead of chasing ghosts." Struggling not to swing at Skywalker, Dareus takes several steps towards his desk, "You find yourself a hero for raping my mind in Corporate Space, Smuggle yourself on board my flagship, corrupt my friends and my family!?" A swift move of his arm sends the datacards, whiskey and glass flying into the opposite wall before he turns back to Luke, "You came here to recon, you did. If you want a fight, you'll have it. And I guarantee you, I won't rest until you are all a flicker of memory in history...even if it means my own death to get it." "/You/ still have a choice, Antoine Dareus." Skywalker's voice gains some volume in response to his risen rage. "If you want to blame someone for /corrupting/ your friends and family," he continues, eyebrows arching down to form a tense vee. "Blame your Sith Master." Luke is done here. He turns aside, extends his left hand toward the door, and bends the Force to his will. There's a quick series of clicks and pops, coming in time with the flicking of his first two fingers, as the Force reverses the security lock. The door opens with a sudden, sharp hiss. ---- 'Senior Officer Commons -I2SD Predator-' The Senior Officers area is much less chaotic than that of the crew areas. It is also evident in the little things. Black uniformed Naval security officers stand by the door checking code cylinders of everyone entering this area. They will turn away anyone not on their lists or those unescorted by ranking officers of the vessel. Small sitting areas dot the commons areas, furnished with data terminals that allow the vital functions of the ship to be monitored from here. Another notable exception is that the Senior officers are all given private berths, based on rank and status. The Chief Naval Officer's quarters are a very notable exception and a pair of storm troopers stand at constant attention; ST-II rifles complete with bayonet’s in their white gloved hands as they keep interlopers out of the CNO's quarters. ---- "I don't think that will be happening in the least, Skywalker." Dareus watches him intently as every one of his emotions is accepted and drawn back into himself; he didn't need simple manipulation of doors, he only wanted this feeling around him. "I don't blame my master for anything, I found simple redemption through him, nothing less. Not to mention the future that puts us on a collision course." Hitting the comlink he speaks in his normally grave tone, "Commander initiate ship wide emergency lockdown; this is a drill." The Sith had no reason to send the crew scrambling, this conversation wasn't over. Stepping forward quickly, and into the hall he stands before Skywalker's path, "Wandering around my ship will get you nothing. You have to have some secondary motive to just appear on a Sith Flagship where Master and Apprentice are. Just because you're my enemy doesn't make you a fool." Skywalker does well to mask his thoughts and feelings, resting them in a small place behind a veil of control. He does this in his own carnal body, thus mimicking it in his doppelganger aboard the /Predator/. Nevertheless, he finds the Captain's move surprising... and unexpected. A drill? His oath to Serenella was going to become troublesome. "Well, I'm glad that the days of underestimating our foes has finally come to an end," He notes. "It is a sign that some good things may come to pass. Nevertheless." He glances about, taking in sight and sound, absorbing the way the Force moves in this tortured place. Johanna had been here... as had Aurejin. Skywalker narrows his eyes and looks back toward Dareus. "This place is wrought with disruption. Much as you may think redemption is yours, you are the victim of a lie. Betrayal lies in the path of everything here..." His nose curls. "I can /smell/ it." There's something almost dark about Skywalker's nature now, not the same cold rage that took Dareus earlier, but a sort of foreboding understanding. He looks back to Dareus, almost smirking. "Made worse because you so-called Sith have neglected the Rule of Two." While the conversation was moving along politely enough, Dareus had been searching the ship through his mind, running through his own knowledge of every corridor and every room; again turning up empty for any assistance. The lights dim after several moments, augmented by red blinking lights along each hallway; vital areas of the ship have a second blast door move slowly into place and sealing shut. Each turbolift stops at the current floor and opens, releasing passengers before locking itself into the shafts. Where the Jedi and Sith were, there was long and dark silence ahead, "Rules are made by the past; and from there we rise Luke..." The smile across Dareus' face was rather dark- this second meeting was enough to heighten his own senses and appreciate the lack of life on board "Vadim is the one who decides what path we all take, not you and certainly not me." Pointing to the medbay, he almost laughs, "You serve to protect my family, I guard in my way." Staring at Skywalker he purposefully remembers watching his then-fiancée being tortured, and the feeling that was sent between those two as he watched her agony, not helplessly, it was intently. "The dark side is a path that should be chosen; and accepted. I don't fear my emotions or back any down, I embrace them all; it gives me my strength." The Sith can feel the echoes of pain through the hallways, it marked them permanently, "Can you smell the history, too, Skywalker?" "Rules are determined by the actions of /us/, here and now," retorts Luke, gaining some passion in his voice. A free hand comes up to point at Dareus. "And our path is /not/ decided by Vadim, unless we /choose/ to let him be our dictator." He grows silent at the Captain's following words, speaking of the smell of history. He turns and walks toward the nearby bulkhead, and gently presses his hand up against the cold metal. His eyes flutter shut, and the doppelganger begins to absorb the past through its subdued strength in the Force. Time in the Star Destroyer almost stands still while the corridor grows cold, Dareus standing forebodingly near the entrance to the medical bay while a small bit of confusion is cleared from his mind; one of the first times he can truly draw a perverse feeling of power from the dark side that is constantly aboard his ship. Like watching a holovid, the blast doors open to many droid guards heavily armed and standing idly by while a blonde woman is wrought with confusion and utter fear, the only humans in the room are Dareus and another man while a cautious and life altering questioning is done. Just as now, the force flowed through the Captain; however he didn't know it or use it, just his anger; before a simple nod is given, the unidentified man stepping forward and sending an injection through Serenella's intravenous which causes her to scream in a nearly unbearable pain. The Sith remembers the day well, allowing the clarity of it all, any fleeting regret was quickly lost in his own duty and need for loyalty; each man callously asking questions that couldn't be truthfully answered, but that was of little consequence- each successive nod between the two sends another bit of fluid into her body that mercilessly attacks every pain receptor in the woman’s' body. For a brief moment, in his own minds' eye, a figure seems to smile; one unseen to Dareus in the past but now they remain clear- like so many others who watched this Master and Apprentice with great interest. What seems like long minutes stops and cuts off just before the hollow and unimportant apologies could be whispered, the Sith pulling himself into reality ahead of time while maintaining his feeling of strength through his emotional past, "You and your people caused me to do this to my own wife, Skywalker." Of course he didn't blame himself, although the feeling of love for her is real, matched by overbearing fear and protection of her. Blinking several times he turns back towards the Jedi, the corridor still cold, "Korolov is a destroyer of worlds. My master and I will create a future. He rebuilds where the wars destroyed, and when it is my time, I will take his place." Imperial style interrogations. Luke is not unfamiliar to them by any means, and there's no outward reaction on his face as he observes Serenella being tortured. The cold doesn't seem to bother him either... his strength of will was quite used to dealing with these situations fearlessly. He also knows that, in all truth... he is in no danger at all. Nevertheless, when Dareus speaks, Luke is insulted, and it shows in his tone of voice when he opens his eyes and speaks. "Your blame shifting won't make /me/ lose any sleep, Dareus." He turns to face the Captain, frowning. "Your blinded, fanaticized point of view is a poison that will turn on you in the end. Whatever future you may mold, it will backfire, and every breath you've taken will have been in vein. Turn from the dark side now, and your life will be /meaningful/ in the endless history of time, not forgotten as a shadow pierced by omnipenetrant light." Sparing no more time for retorts, Luke makes a decision to press Dareus and see what the man will do. He parts his cloak, shrugging it from his shoulders, letting it flutter to his feet slowly. Where one might expect to see a lightsaber, comlink, or tools adorning his armored attire, there is nothing. Even still, Skywalker's doppelganger opens a gloved hand, and here is where he shows yet more of his power. Far away aboard the /Refrain of Anshalar/, the real Jedi Master withdraws the lightsaber from his belt. He holds it gingerly in his hands, then clasps hold of it tightly, bending his will upon the very Force as it is bound between the weapon and his soul. An earth-shattering wave of invisible power shoots from master to puppet, vibrating the hull and bulkheads of the /Predator/ as it pierces through. The air between the puppet's fingers distorts and bends, a shadow with edges crackling in green light forming. Then, the image of Skywalker's lightsaber appears, and takes on a solid form. With a snap and a hiss, a green blade of energy appears, and the puppet slowly draws it back and over his shoulder in the opening Soresu stance. It was an insult that burns deeply inside him, fueling him more. He was the weaker one on this ship; few knew it- but it can't be hidden from Jedi. Still, the Dark Side was easy to feed on, few distractions and more importantly, this conversation. "My life has meaning, and it will never turn on me. The Sith are returning, you can feel it when you meditate, can't you...history was lost to us, but the future will rise from the ashes of an Empire that you never broke." Unlike most Sith, he feeds from his own arrogance and ambition above anything; even above hate. Once the lightsaber is ignited, Dareus doesn't flinch, there's not even a surge of fear in his body like there used to be- just a calm acceptance. If it was his time, then fate would decide it, not Skywalker, not even Dareus. Still- his feelings reach out, the Jedi aren't the only ones who can read people, although he relies on instinct until other skills fall under his control, "You wouldn't kill an unarmed man." A smile crosses his face, "I haven't made one advance towards you, but if I'm meant to die here and now; so be it." There was comfort in the fact he'd seen spirits among the dead planets he visited, in Maligns' company they spoke; and he could always join them. Or at least he told himself that lie. "Besides, I'm not the one blinded. Here you are on my ship, asking me to turn from the path of the future, into what...some bickering council chamber where nothing gets done? How about something to hide my emotions and deny everything that ever gave me life, no passion, no fear, no pain. They exist for a reason and it is not to be denied." His words are simple and cold, he was unarmed and untrained in comparison, a bad position to be in; but no Sith would ever back down again. "You would do well to shape history on this side, but it’s a useless gesture, isn't it. Now you raise your lightsaber to someone you very well know doesn't even wield one, and still call yourself a hero of the Republic...you are the truly misguided one." A mirthful smile crosses Skywalker's face when Dareus 'calls his bluff', if it were even a bluff to begin with. No, Luke does not intend to attack Dareus. Nor does he intend to kill him. An oath is an oath. But his mirthful smile fades when Dareus insults the Republic. "Your greatest mistake, Dareus," he says, scowling, "is to cast judgment on that which you /don't/ know. That which you have never /tried/ to experience." What happens next occurs in a blink of a moment. Luke's free hand rises to the ceiling, and with a sharp tug, the normal lighting is pulled from its place by the Force and comes crashing down onto the deck between them. Skywalker twirls, hand rejoining his blade, and darts toward the reinforced bulkhead. He stabs his lightsaber deep into the material, filling the immediate space with a sizzling sound and immense heat as the metal begins to melt. Although it wasn't meant to drop on him, he takes a step back just before the lighting falls from the ceiling; his own instincts were beginning to serve the young apprentice. "I experienced your lovely hospitality...tortured for 4 days in New Republic Intelligence custody; you aren't that different when you have a means to an end." Whether or not the Jedi knew of it was irrelevant, the Republic still was a government and a functioning military; with methods that can be used for their own purposes. Dareus taps his comlink for a brief moment while watching the Jedi intently- he was now wrecking his ship, his sanctuary from the galaxy. "You won't escape from here. Maybe this time when you're brought before my master and the Emperor, you'll make the right decision and *your* life will have meaning." The grin returns to his face as he turns the tables back onto Luke. There were no stormtroopers on this ship; they had no place among the Sith fleet, though droids activate; something mechanical that isn't sensed with ease. The black Sith creations slip up the walls on the other side and blend into the ceiling in silent waiting at the orders of the Captain; who pushes his own anticipation away. "My greatest mistake, is not having a lightsaber right here, and now. But this chance will come again. I promise you that much. Perhaps even in your own sanctuaries." Luke silently focuses on the task at hand, using the Force to prevent his skin from being singed by the molten metal. Pieces glop to the ground, burning and hissing into the deck, as he slowly pulls the lightsaber in an arc, listening to Dareus' tauntings with a frown on his face. He's already well aware of Malign's penchant for relying on droids rather than human soldiers... he'd experienced it when Cassius was rescued from imprisonment aboard NRSD /Reprisal/. He knew of them, courtesy of his last visit with Dareus. And that is exactly why he relies on instinct, rather than observation. Luke turns for a moment, looking toward Dareus through the distance that separates them. "I know," he answers, clairvoyance evident in his bright eyes. "I have foreseen it." He then turns back to the blast doors and bends his strength on the blade, moving with fierce effort to complete the circle before its too late. Dareus, on the other hand, has seen nothing. However his resolve was no longer easy to break; he had a goal for power and a future that would be stopped by nothing. Bit by bit the past was being revealed to everyone, history was always doomed to repeat itself in this galaxy; a fire across the systems when Sith hold power and are removed by the Jedi, a never-ending cycle that each subsequent time leaves the galaxy in chaos and war. Weakening the force as the body counts rise each time. "In that case, you can also see the dark tide rising; there will be no mistakes like Palpatine ever again." The eyes of the apprentice never leave Luke's form burning through the bulkhead with a speed that could do nothing less than impress him; Dareus always respected combat prowess, be it from enemy or ally. "We're on opposite sides Skywalker, but I will warn you; stay away from my family affairs." Wrath flows through him that attempts to mask his own apprehension about things to come, "I will protect them from you with my very life; you have laws you abide by. I use my honor and commitment to a code that has sealed the fate of the galaxy for generations." "A fate of death and fear," replies Skywalker, sneering at the blast door before him as he presses to finish the cut. "Where's the honor in that?" He pulls his lightsaber out and leans forth, kicking the center of the door with his boot. Augmented by a thrust of the Force, the circular section goes careening out and into the next corridor with a loud, destructive sound, flattening against the floor some fifty yards beyond. Luke leaps through the doorway, his body nimbly avoiding the red-hot edges. Then, he begins to wreck as much havoc on the ship's corridor as he can, as if tempting Dareus and his droids to act. With one hand, he spins and drags the lightsaber across the bulkheads, cutting into the walls and slicing through wires, cables, and conduits. His other hand wields the Force, grasping a pair of dataterminals and ripping them free. A flick of his hand sends them soaring across the room to smash into an opposing wall. It's only a matter of seconds, precious, few seconds, before he's certain the droids will attack. And that, in the secret mind of the real Jedi Master meditating from afar, is the reason he's come. The Sith steps forward quickly, moving into the next room, watching the destruction with some degree of dissatisfaction, "A fate which brings peace into the galaxy, no wars to massacre billions." He was second to a greater power on this ship, and it infuriates him that he was left to seem to teach himself for now, impatient and bold. The darkness follows him with each step, Dareus pulling his feelings along his stride which touches his words with conviction and ice, "I'm not the one who stripped worlds of their atmosphere; I will take what falls from the ashes and bring it into an Empire that will last for a thousand years." His own senses stretch across the corridor while the few seconds of shattering equipment continues, "It's a shame that you are too proud to be a part of it." Looking up to the ceiling, bathed in darkness, half a dozen pairs of red sensing eyes activate; the sight further pushed as they split along the ceiling, drop to the deck plates and flank the Jedi Master from several feet away while they level their blasters at him. "You're the perfect gift to Vadim to ensure my future not just with the Sith, but with the Empire as well." Luke has left a trail of destruction in his wake by the time the droids come out. Surrounded on both sides, the Jedi Master rises slowly from a crouched position, and brings his lightsaber upright, perpendicular to the floor and aimed toward the ceiling in a manner that echoes regality. "I /would/ join you," Luke admits, turning to look at Dareus from between the mechanical arms of the droids separating them. A keen smile comes to his face. "If you weren't following the deceitful ways of the dark side." He turns his eyes back around and takes in the droids. He refuses to make the first move... but now, here he is, where he wants to be. Stretching out with his senses, he begins to take note of every nuance he can. Droid structure, what mechanisms show themselves to be visible, what small details he can acquire through his magnified eyesight. Deceitfully archaic in their basic design, their first line of defense, hiding what truly exists underneath; although they hadn't been augmented just yet for this situation, which was a pity. "A lie is a point of view. Every truth that I hold in my heart comes from my viewpoint, dozens of worlds abandoned by the Republic; staving women and children who were rescued by the Empire and security restored." He gives Luke a matching smile, "I have no desire for death, it weakens us all in the end." The Sith stretches his hand out to show the seemingly completed droids, "A marvel of the past, designs lost in history until brought back by the proper guides." A look of pride crosses his face, they all were built at his facility, albeit one he would now need to abandon; however they were all complete. "How would you feel when millions of these land on Ord Mantell, Skywalker? Marching through the streets of every backwater Republic world to secure them and welcome them to the laws of the Sith?" Dareus' eyes remain unblinking at him, his meager senses watching the Jedi dutifully for any hint of thought or emotion, "Drop your lightsaber and you won't be harmed. You have a place, if you have the foresight to see what you could do. Another Sith Lord of unbreakable power and will." He takes a step forward, "Whatever was threatened to you in the past is gone, I'm among the new lineage and messengers. It goes from a threat, to a choice to take your place among the great in history." The droids remain well trained, watching the Jedi with optical sensors, but await his surrender- or the alternate answer. Luke shakes his head slowly as Dareus justifies his evil deeds by such a weak excuse as a point of view. The point of view is a powerful thing... but only the weak use it to make excuse for powerlust. His eyes remain locked on Dareus as the apprentice makes an attempt to turn him, yet there's a continual layer of mirth in Skywalker's eyes. "With one breath you threaten to enslave a people. With the next, you seek to seduce me. If you truly wished for peace... you would not make such threats, and your stance would not waver." There's no longer any hesitation. Luke moves in with speed, cutting with his lightsaber toward the nearest droid. "I don't enslave people, Skywalker, I set them free. Just like Nar Shaddaa, they are no longer under the slimy tail of Hutts. Food, clothing and credits move freely around the once lawless moon." The grin fades, "And it's not my point of view that drives me." Dareus feels the Jedi might have actually underestimated him, and his own stance, "It is my conviction to the future that drives me." The swing of the lightsaber is no surprise, and as it melts through the first droid, sending sparks and molten metal along the corridor, the Sith simply and coldly states, "Then you've made your decision." A quick nod of his head towards the rest of the droids, who actually, despite the first attack, haven't moved, "Disarm him, if he resists, kill him." The sound of their ST-II's activating from safe mode is easily heard, two from behind moving forward while the remaining keep their blasters trained for any move and waiting to fire. Dareus flows with confidence and the dark side now, he was succeeding where others had failed so many times, and he was certain he would be rewarded. Hitting his comlink he speaks sharply, "Seal the hangar bay after you launch fighters. Secure a defensive perimeter around the fleet and have the med bay prepare a stasis tube. We have a gift for Lord Malign." The Sith, himself, makes no move other than clasping his hands in front of himself at belt height, allowing his own minions to take on the dangerous task of apprehending the Jedi Master. Bringing his lightsaber back up to his side, Luke pauses for a moment. With his mind, he bends the Force around the muzzles of the rifles aimed at his back. The metal crushes over the muzzles, rendering them useless as firing mechanisms. His eyes remain centered on the droids before him, then he swings his lightsaber instinctively to catch the first of their shots, sending them up into the ceiling, where they turn into puffs of smoke and shower sparks on the droids. He then leaps forward, moving to attack the two before him and render them useless. As the Jedi moves towards the droids, they begin to fire relentlessly at him, though Dareus full well expects that none of the shots will land. He was a Sith, not some rookie officer on a Star Destroyer. A wave of his hand begins the movement of the two droids with dead blasters at Luke; they would use their blasters as bashing weapons, it would seem. Purely programmed to follow orders to their own destruction, something he had looked forward to seeing in combat. The remaining three begin to fire their blasters at him, regardless of the angle, even if they're not head to head. This was no time for honored combat; he wanted a prize for his Master. Displeased with the amount of time, Dareus is distracted for a short moment, his senses not always able to concentrate yet on one specific task; familiarity with someone, but it passes as the Dark Side rejoins him in the corridor illuminated by lightsaber and sparks. "Your offer is closed, I'm afraid." His tone remains cool and collected, watching the pair arc their blasters to knock him unconscious from behind. Skywalker's lightsaber finds itself slicing one of the droids before him into three distinct pieces, then arcs through the third one's blaster, disabling it as well. In the blink of an eye, one of the droids behind him breaks through the puppet's weakened instincts, and lands a heavy blow on Luke's shoulder. "Urf!" he vocalizes, and spins about to plant his lightsaber firmly into the droid's torso. He then rips it free from one side, and crouches down low to the deck. The Force bucks and moves, drawing into him, then is released forth like a wave, sending kinetic energy out in a sphere-shaped, visible distortion. His immediate surrounds, whether that be the still activated droids, or the remains carved by his lightsaber, are caught by the distortion and thrown away at a fierce speed. Both droid and shrapnel flatten against the bulkheads, creating a shower of sparks and adding numerous dents to the walls. "Is that all they are capable of?" shouts Skywalker, his voice strong and powerful. ---- 'Crew Commons -I2SD Predator-' The Crew Deck is significantly wider than any other section of the ship. This is mainly due to the enormous amount of personnel passing through on their way to their duty stations or to socialize with their crewmates when they are off-duty. Staggered at regular intervals along the starboard wall are small, gunmetal gray doors that lead into modular officers' quarters established to house four junior officers a piece. On the opposite side of the hallway are a number of recreational facilities offered to off-duty officers and crew. Picturesque in their polished white armor, several patrols of stormtroopers roam the commons to maintain order. ---- A smirk crosses his face while he embraces the Dark Side, he had programmed the droids personally, and was well aware of their capabilities. "Oh no, my Jedi friend...they're far better than this." The blast door behind Luke opens up, although who or what opened it is unclear, though no droids remain on the other side just yet. The Sith steps forward to the area where all the fighting is taking place, although he's unarmed and without any protection- little concern to him. He was weak compared to Skywalker, that much was easily clear, even for observers, but Dareus doesn't show it. He speaks without any words that echo in the corridors, for once sending what he means through the very force that has both sides clashing in this very spot *They will bring you down to your knees before my master, who will bring you before his. You're not the only one with foresight* A quick wave of his finger, and the remaining droids unleash hell from their blasters towards the Jedi, in a vain effort to catch him before he moves too far into the next room. Spotting the blast door opening, Luke makes for it, turning and backpedaling so that his defenses remain forward. He's pleased when the droid reinforcements take on the attack once more, and brings his defenses in close and tight. Nary a bolt gets through, each one caught by his blade and bounced into the bulkheads, the deck, and the ceiling. He keeps up this charade until pushed back into the larger corridor, where he takes a few quick steps back. He then plants himself and uses the droids' attacks to send deflected blaster bolts into the walls, aiming specifically for anything from lights to control panels and security cameras. He's bent on wrecking as much havoc as possible, and each bolt goes precisely aimed. Skywalker even manages an artistic flair during the defense, crouching down at one point to carve an opening in the deck. A flick of his hand, and the shredded deck plating goes soaring for the droids at a fast speed. This is the very thing his master had taught him, passion. His was for combat; and it fueled the apprentice’s connection to the force fully, like he hadn't felt before- a drug that couldn't be stopped, and he embraced every moment. The deck plating sends droid parts flying, fortunately his senses pick it up, barely, allowing the Captain to sidestep the foray that flies into the room. The Sith remains uneasily calm in the whole mess of blaster fire and lightsaber arcs, but the grin crosses his face while the turbolift doors open along with the recreation areas' heavy blast doors. "Now" the Sith calmly declares. While appearing empty, the lift actually is quite packed, with droids who clamber out along the walls and ceiling, not being on the ground would serve and advantage against the Jedi's attacks. Stepping through the rubble of what was destroyed, he continues a slow step into the next corridor, a veil of blackness following with him; though the destruction is of little concern to him at this point. The droids all commence firing from every angle once the lift is empty, red streaks from what seems to be living walls and ceiling panels that is mixed with the red optical sensors *As you can see, where my predecessors failed, I excel. There will be no more fools who kneel before my master and claim a title for themselves. I have *earned* my place by his side.* ---- 'Recreation Area -I2SD Predator-' The recreation room is far larger than its name alludes to. It’s more like the recreation deck. Various means of entertainment can be found here, ranging from a library, to holovids, to games, and to an expansive exercise facility. To the extreme fore of this room are found transparisteel viewports allowing a spectacular, yet calming view of space. The port side of the room, a good half, is dominated by various exercise equipment including an indoor track, sparring rings, and resistance training machines. The starboard side contains the rest of the facilities. Many enlisted men and officers can be found here at all times of the day, passing away their few precious off-duty hours. ---- The doppelganger's eyes steel over as his senses trigger him to the coming outpour. Backed into the recreation room, he's no fool to what is coming. However, deep inside the mind of the doppelganger's master, there is a truth that remains veiled from Dareus. The doppelganger no longer routes any of his energy or focus on destroying droids. Now, he simply means to survive... and observe. His keen eyes absorb how the droids move, how their various limbs and attachments unfurl, from where they come. His lightsaber moves in an almost blinding pattern of defense, his feet deftly springing him from side to side as he dodges near misses with acrobatic finesse. Yet his master knows full well that eventually, he will be defeated. In this room, as yet more and more droids crawl and expose their blasters, that much is inevitable, because the doppelganger is a mere shadow of his master's strength. Soon, there are so many droids firing upon him that collateral damage is unavoidable. The blaster bolts no longer peg into walls and floors, causing superficial damage to the ship's innards. They now catch many of the droids, dropping a few from the ceiling that are caught by more exchanging plasma and demolished entirely. It all comes to an end when two blaster bolts strike Luke in the chest. He gasps for air and staggers backward. The droids sense it and immediately cease fire, scampering across the walls and floors to close in on him. The green energy blade disappears into the lightsaber's hilt, and the doppelganger collapses to his knees, one hand striking the floor to hold him upright. His head faces the ground, eyes closed as he draws on the Force to subdue the pain. The Sith stops in his tracks for a moment, the brief glimpse of confusion is halted by his senses stretching out over the room, and he indeed felt that Skywalker has hit the ground. Pride, is the only feeling that overwhelms the apprentice while he steps in, his hand is actually slightly shaky with what he could swear he just saw. "Step away." His order is augmented by the swift movement of his hand, and the droids part for him like waves retreating from a beach. "The great Skywalker, fallen by a mere apprentice. It's with no disappointment, you fought bravely and with outstanding skill." The words actually were true from him, without any malice or mockery of the Master. The Sith kneels down only a few inches away from the Jedi, extending his hand, "Your lightsaber, Master Skywalker." Dareus was weaker in the force, but not honor, he could end it all with a simple order and just kill the man; but the thought never crosses his mind. This would serve his own purposes now. The grin which crosses his face is almost boyish, someone who just received a gift of unparalleled value, and he shows it. "Cochran will be long empty by the time anyone finds out about it, even the true nature of what happened there, will be scoured from the surface with my turbolasers. Feel it. The future is difficult to see because now it moves far too fast for any of us. Those before me destroyed planets, I bring down the leader of the Jedi with my own creations and designs. *This* is the nature of the dark side, as it evolves. Not in death, but life." Aboard the /Refrain of Anshalar/, Skywalker had felt the sting of the injury. While even the illusion of his armor was real enough to affect the damage, it had still struck and wounded his puppet in a very real way. Yet now, even as the puppet master pulls the strings, a portion of his mind is bent on disseminating the information he's observed. With only the time to do some fast math, the Jedi Master begins to realize that his initial estimates are far, far off... the /Predator/ could hold far more droids than anyone may have suspected. This moment of thought is cut short when the puppet master hears the words of Dareus echoing through his weakening connection with the doppelganger. He bows forward, gripping his lightsaber even tighter in both hands in the quiet meditation chamber. Aboard the /Predator/, Luke's doppelganger breathes heavily as Dareus approaches, sweat dripping from his hair onto the deck. When Dareus finishes, however, Skywalker looks up, his eyeballs pressed against the upper part of his eyelids as he peers into the opponent's eyes. His right hand slowly releases its hold on the lightsaber. When the contact is no longer sustained, the lightsaber begins to fade from existence, as if its very molecules were being absorbed into thin air. It's gone before it strikes the deck, leaving a chilling silence in its wake. He speaks with a strained voice. "I suggest you get to work." His pained expression suddenly turns into a smirk, as if the injury never took place, in spite of the brutally mangled duraplast that covers his chest. His eyes are filled with boyish mirth, as if he just moved the rook into place that mated Dareus' king. His hand leaves the deck, and though he remains on his knees, the puppet stretches his back straight and looks up to the deck. Then, he fades from existence, clothes and all, and leaves a crackling energy in his wake. The smirk fades, as does the feeling of pride, slipping from the Sith while he watches the saber fall into nothingness. Though it's quickly replaced with the anger welling up inside him; he'd just been made a fool of, and more so on his own flagship. Quickly, Dareus resumes his senses, he knows that Skywalker was here, on this ship; he felt it, the same as he had on board the CSA ship. The dark side floods into the room, as best the apprentice can muster, which to people other than Skywalker, would be intimidating, "It begins, then." The Captain stands up quickly, turning from the disappearing form and hitting his comlink, "Commander, extend all long range sensors and launch fighter patrols throughout the sector. We have an unwelcome guest." A short sigh echoes throughout the dead silent and droid filled recreation area- he would have to answer for this, another time though. "Contact the Cochran facility and prepare for an immediate evacuation." Looking towards the droids with a less than pleased expression, he simply dismisses them. Heading to the door with echoing footfalls, he turns one last time to the spot where the Jedi fell, "This will happen once more to you." With that he turns and makes immediately for the bridge; and to his master. The connection was broken instantly, and by the will of Skywalker. The result? The image simply ceased to exist. It had lost its solidity, it's ability to interact with the Force, and eventually, it's very existence. Skywalker's eyes snap to life in the meditation chamber, and a quick motion of his hand activates the comm system nearby. "Now, Seth!" he commands. "Activate the hyperdrive." "Got it!" replies Seth Senesca, who turns from his seat in command of the cruiser's bridge. "Go." The woman operating the nav console presses her hand into the strange, gel-like console, and the Refrain of Anshalar jumps into hyperspace. Unseen, unscanned, and impossible to track.